This invention relates generally to an improved stowable fold away seat in a vehicle in order to provide a space for a wheelchair or for storage of various articles. The invention employs cantilevered fixedly integrated seatbases which pivot on one end from a horizontally deployed position to a vertically stowed position and from a vertically stowed position to a horizontally deployed position. Further, the seatbases are provided with two integrated seatbacks that have a lockable unfolded position, substantially perpendicular to the range of motion for the seatbases, as well as a lockable folded position substantially flat against the seatbases.
The fold away seat is stowed by folding the seatbacks substantially flat against the seatbases. After folding the seatback substantially flat against the seatbases, the seatbases are unlocked from the horizontally deployed position, raised to the vertically stowed position, and locked in place. The wheelchair or other article may be placed in the space vacated by the stowed seat.
At present, the Straughsbaugh Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,141 owned by the C.E. White Co., is known to enable a seatbase which has a support leg extending from the aisle end of the seatbase, and the McClintock Patent, U.S. Pat. No, 5,492,389, which is owned by the applicant, enables a cantilevered, integrated, upholstered seatbase with a one-piece, single seatback. In the Straughsbaugh seatbase, typically the aisle leg is fastened to the floor when the seat is down, or tucked away when the seat is stowed away. While the known fold away seats as shown by Straughsbaugh have a support leg that can be folded up to provide space for a user or for storage, this did not disclose, teach, or suggest any cantilevered seatbases which avoids the attendant difficulties arising from the use of the aisle leg on the seatbases which at times interferes with an operator and requires additional steps for stowing. Nor did the Straughsbaugh patent disclose, teach, or suggest any cantilevered seatbases with separate seating surfaces and integrated seatbacks utilizing a centered support and bearing to allow the seat to utilize individual seat shells, reduce the bulk, weight, and amount of material required which avoids the attendant difficulties such as increased vibration arising when deployed and used for vehicles, including mass-transit vehicles.
While the McClintock Patent, U.S. Pat. No, 5,492,389, which is owned by the Applicant, the fold away seat has a cantilevered, uniformly upholstered seatbase with a one-piece, single seatback that can be folded away to provide space for storage, these seats did not disclose, teach, or suggest any cantilevered seatbases with separate seating surfaces and seatbacks utilizing a centered support and bearing to allow the seat to incorporate individual seat shells, reduce the bulk, weight, and amount of material required which avoids the attendant difficulties such as increased vibration arising when used for vehicles, including mass-transit vehicles. Previous fold away seats, whether cantilevered or utilizing an aisle leg, featured materials and designs which were inappropriate for the purposes of reducing bulk, weight, and amount of material required thereby preventing the seats from vibrating when deployed in vehicles.
Currently, especially when used in mass transit vehicles, it is necessary for fold away seats to be lighter yet more stable and provide adequately firm seats with reduced vibration. Without the center support and bearing the seatbacks would be forced to have additional depth and material added to it. The center support and bearing enables the bridging of a smaller span. This reduction in span width enables the seatback to have increased rigidity reduced vibrations without the penalty of additional material of back depth thickness.